December NewsFlash 2008

From

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts & Dance, LLC

3980 Tampa Road, Suite 206

Oldsmar, FL-34677

813-854-3404 and RAFAFL.com

Dear Parents and Performers,

We are nearing our big The Royal Nutcracker production-Dec. 13 at 7:30pm and Dec. 14 at 2:00pm. With mandatory dress rehearsal at the James B. White Performing Arts Center at noon on Sat. Dec. 13.  All of our young performers are getting so excited-we are so proud of each of them! 

Friendly Reminder:

 The Mandatory Dress Rehearsal will be held at noon on Dec. 13 and done in full costume, hair and make up at The James B. White Performing Arts Center. We are paying extra to have the rehearsal at The James B. White Performing Arts Center and it does make a HUGE difference to the quality of your performers overall experience.

The James B. White Performing Arts Center is located on the lovely campus of Clearwater Central Catholic High School on Haines/Bayshore (off Hwy 19). You can Map Quest it.

Props: The Royal Academy of Fine Arts & Dance, LLC has a Prop Committee headed by Audrey DeWeerd along with Darren Vermost and Greg Mackin-they are all great volunteers. Audrey has posted a “Can You Help The Royal Nutcracker” prop list. Please check the list and see if you have or would donate/loan any of these items. If you answer is yes, then write your name or your child’s name next to the item-THANK YOU!

All Best Friends and Friends each must bring in a Porcelain Doll to rehearse with and perform with by Thursday Dec. 4.

All Little Sisters each must bring in a Teddy Bear or Doll (old fashioned looking) to rehearse and practice with by Thursday Dec. 4. Please put your child’s name on masking tape under the dress on somewhere.

All Party Boys each must bring in a drum, trumpet, flute etc to rehearse and practice with by Thursday Dec. 4. We have seen some great plastic items like a flute or trumpet at the Dollar Store.

All the dolls, teddy bears etc will be returned to your child-you can pick them up at the Trophy and Awards Ceremony on January 7 & 8th.

EVERYONE; WE NEED EVERY SINGLE CAST MEMBER TO BRING IN 1-2 WRAPPED GIFTS (EMPTY OF COURSE :) FOR UNDER THE GROWING TREE-THE BIGGER THE BETTER! IF EVERYONE BRINGS IN ONE-WE’LL HAVE PLENTY. THE TAG SHOULD READ TO CLARA FROM: YOUR CHILD’S NAME.

All Rafa performers-as per your November NewsFlash- we are ALL now on "Rehearsal Schedule" for the last two weeks prior to ready your child to perform in The Royal Nutcracker.  This schedule is in lieu of regular classes and although your performer will be getting many more hours of studio time there are no additional fees above regular tuition. Whether you child is dancing or watching-they are learning about the artistic process and these two weeks are an incredible learning experience. Please see it below as posted in your November NewsFlash:

Who is in Act I?  All of Party Scene, Overture Singers & Petite Sugar Plum Duet- Little Sisters, Friends, Best Friends, Maids, ALL Dolls, ALL Party Scene Adults, Fritz's Friends, Fritz, Clara, Nutcracker Prince, Drosselmeyer, Nanny, Butler &  The Petite Sugar Plum Duet.

Who is in Act II?  All of Mice & Soldier Scene, Snow Pas, Snowflake Scene, Snow Singers, and ALL of Angel Scene-Mice, Rats, Presents Under The Tree, Soldiers, Drosselmeyer, Nutcracker Prince, Mommy Mouse, Rat King, Clara, Snow Queen & Princesses, Snowflakes, Snow Pas, Arch Angels, Star Angels, Lead Angels and Angels-3 Gifts to Clara Angels.

Who is in Act III?  Everyone else:)-All of The Land of the Sweet Dancers and Singers, Clara, Nutcracker Prince, Drosselmeyer, Sugar Plum Fairy & her Cavalier, Spanish Pas, Arabian Princess Pas and all of Arabian, Irish River Dance, Holland, Welcome to the Land of Sweets Singers, Royal Ice Skaters Leads and Corps, Chinese Tea Pas and Corps, African Hip Hopw/ Queen, March of the Toy Soldiers Hip Hop Lead and Corps, Mother Ginger, Bon Bons, Polychinelles, Russian Trepak, Clara's Dance Solo, all Musical Theater Singing Soloists and Groups.

Who is DANCING IN the Finale Ballet?  Spanish Pas, Arabian Princess, Irish River Dance Leads, Russian Trepak, Royal Ice Skater Princess, Chinese Tea Pas, African Queen, Lead March of the Soldiers, Sugar Plum Fairy & Cavalier, Snow Pas, Clara, Drosselmeyer and The Nutcracker Prince.

Who is in The GRAND FINALE on stage? (Not rehearsed):  THE ENTIRE CAST OF THE ROYAL NUTCRACKER comes on stage group by group to hear the audience applaud them and to bow/curtsey!

The Royal Nutcracker "Rehearsal Schedule"

RUNS FOR TWO WEEKS-Dec. 1-4th & Dec. 8-11th

Mon Dec. 1      Act I 5:00-7:00PM

                          Act II 7:00-9:00PM (mice are done by 8pm)

Tues Dec. 2    Act III 5:00-7:00PM

                          Act I   7:00-9:00PM(Little Sisters are done at 8pm)

Wed Dec. 3     Act II   5:00-7:00PM

                         Act III 7:00-9:00PM (Bon Bons are done at 8pm)

Bailey, Ashley & Sara w/ Alexei and Mr. Mike 7-10PM

Thurs Dec. 4   Act I     4:30-6:00PM

                         Act II    6:00-7:00PM

                         Act III   7:00-8:00PM

                        Finale    8:00-9:00PM (Act III Leads Only)

Fri. Dec. 5 Bailey, Ashley & Sara w/Alexei and Mr. Mike 7-10PM

*Reminder the Grand Finale is not rehearsed.

****Everyone is off on Saturday Dec. 6 to rest :)!

Saturday Dec. 13 Mandatory Dress Rehearsal at The James B. White Performing Arts Center at noon in full costume, hair and make up. 

Make Up:

-Girls-foundation, black eye liner,  3 coats of black mascara, pink/rosy cheeks, bright pink lipstick.

-Lead Girls-foundation, smokey eyes, black eye liner, false eyelashes, pink cheeks, bright red lip liner, bright red lipstick, 2-3 rhinestones in outside corner of the eyes.

-Boys & Men-foundation, brown eye liner, 1 coat of black mascara, rosy cheeks, neutral lip liner.

-Women-foundation, eye shadow of choice, black eye liner, 3 coats of mascara, false eyelashes, rosy cheeks, red lip liner, red lipstick and a rhinestone tiara, feather or period barrette for your done up hair is optional.

Hair:

-Party Scene- is in a bun w/ ringlets (can order online or get at flea market) attached firmly to the bun with criss crossed bobby pins for ALL Little Sisters, Little Girl in the Hat, Friends, Best Friends, Clara & Adult women. 

-All other female dancers wear their bun with no bangs or hair pieces unless instructed otherwise. No barest, crocheted hair buns, nail polish or jewelry please. 

-Men and Boys' hair should look neat and tidy.

Tights & Shoes:

-ALL female ballet dancers wear pale pink tights with pale pink ballet slippers. 

-Holland Tap Dancers: pale pink tights w/black taps shoes-Irish River Tap Dance: black tights w/black tap shoes

-March of the Toy Soldiers: Black jazz pants w/black shoes

-African: Nude leotard, nude tights, "naked toe footwear"-see Miss Nina

-Soldiers-Black Dress Shoes and BLACK DRESS PANTS.

-Mice-pale pink tights and pink ballet slippers

-Rats- pale pink tights (girls) and white tights (boys) w/black sneakers.

-Singers-All Singers-hair goes in a bun-no bangs- check w/ Miss Lisa on tights & shoes. 

-Arabian Lyrical-see Miss Nina for tights & shoes (hair in a bun-no bangs) 

All female dancers who have to change costumes backstage are advised to have a nude/skin colored leotard (for modesty).  This is recommended and not mandatory.

TUITION REMINDER AS PER YOUR NOVEMBER NEWSFLASH:  DEC & JAN TUITION ARE BEING COLLECTED TOGETHER DUE TO THE WINTER BREAK-NO EXCEPTIONS PLEASE.  YOU CAN POSTDATE YOU JANUARY TUITION CHECK (IF YOU NEED TO) FOR DEC. 30, 2008  AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO HOLD IT FOR YOU.

Dec. 15-18th we go back to regular Semester I scheduled classes. If your child is not in The Nutcracker please see Miss Lisa or call 813-854-3404. 

RAFA is closed for Winter Break Dec. 20, 2008-Jan.3, 2009.  RAFA reopens Monday Jan. 5, 2009.  Semester I finishes January 31, 2009.  We do not prorate tuition as we do not charge you anything extra for all the 5 lesson months or all the extra rehearsal times and many students had an opportunity to attend additional classes-we are giving a high quality experience to each performer. 

We also do not charge our parents for trophies like many programs do.

Our goal, as a faculty, is for each performer to walk away from The Royal Nutcracker better than before.

End of Semester I Trophy and Award Ceremony will be held on Thurs. Jan. 8, 2009 from 5-6:30 for ages 2.5 to 8 and 7:00-8:30 for ages 8 to 18. This is your performer's time to be recognized with her/his trophy and awards in front of their families and all their peers!!!!  Bring your cameras and extended family to celebrate their success!  We are so proud of each of them. More details to come…

Please print this December NewsFlash and post on your refrigerator for future reference.  Remember to check the RAFAFL.com website weekly for important updates-this is every family’s responsibility and we need your cooperation on this:)-THANK YOU! 

Nutcracker Tickets are selling quickly starting at $15-26 and we are looking forward to a great show-tickets make wonderful holiday gifts for teachers, family members, friends, neighbors.

We Need Help With The Group Ticket Sale Committee: If you or your performer is in a group like Brownies, Church Youth Group, Temple Youth Group, Prayer Group, Private School, Fundraising Committee, Room Mom/Dad, Athletic Team etc, please invite them to The Royal Nutcracker-we need your help to “get the word out.”

Wizard of Oz Auditions are Saturday Jan. 10 from 10am-2pm. We need Munchkins, Flying Monkeys, Emerald City Singers, Emerald City Dancers, Adults, Lead Munchkins, Blue Birds, The Emerald Dancers (as per Miss Nina’s creation), Glenda, The Witches, The Wizard, Scarecrow, Lion, Tin Man, Dorothy & Toto and more. We are going to put The Wizard of OZ together in 6 “easy breezy” Saturdays and it will be performed March 1, 2009 at The James B. White Performing Arts Center.

Cinderella will be presented in June and most students will be rehearsed during regular classes. Only the leads will have some Saturdays for Cinderella. Leads include, Lucy the Cat, Jack the Mouse, Gus the Mouse, Cinderella, The Fairy Godmother, The Four Fairies: Summer, Spring, Winter & Fall, The Prince, Little Miss Muffet, Mary and her Little Lamb, Little Red Riding Hood & the Wolf, Puss and Boots, Sleeping Beauty, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, The Gingerbread Man and Woman, Hansel and Gretal and more….we also need Midnight, the Numbers on the Clock, Cinderella’s Mice, Adult Ballroom Guests and more….

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL RAFA FAMILIES-YOUR CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING! 

WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A QUALITY PERFORMANCING ARTS EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CHILD/REN!

Warmest Wishes,

Miss Jessica, Miss Lisa, Mr. Mike, Miss Nina & Miss Rosalie